ROC sovereignty over South China Sea non-negotiable: official

Taipei, Aug. 4 (CNA) A senior official said Thursday that the Republic of China has sovereignty over the South China Sea and that this sovereignty is non-negotiable.

Liu Te-shun, vice chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), made the statement when asked to comment if Taiwan will in the future need to negotiate with China over South China Sea issues.

“Our position is clear on this issue: According to the Constitution of the Republic of China, the South China Sea is part of the ROC’s territory,” Liu said.

He also noted that the South China Sea is an international issue upon which the government will make clear its position on various international occasions.

He admitted that Taiwan enjoys few chances to interact with other nations on international occasions, which is why President Ma Ying-jeou has actively promoted his “modus vivendi” approach to expand Taiwan’s foreign relations.

When it comes to the South China Sea, Liu said, Taiwan must not focus only on itself and its ties with China, as many other countries in the region lay claim to all or part of the territory.

“Currently, the government is prioritizing interactions with other countries and reiterating its position on the issue through participating in international activities,” he said.

While Taiwan will not negotiate its sovereignty over the South China Sea with China, when issues arise regarding the development of the area, then efforts must be “made together,” he said.

He stressed that in all international activities regarding South China Sea development, “the ROC should not be excluded.” (By Chen Hung-chin and S.C. Chang)

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[…] have tried to align domestic laws with international conventions, China is well known for its moves to embed external territorial claims into its constitutional framework.The United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) […]